Patents by Inventor Robert G. Farrell

Robert G. Farrell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170048480
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing privacy control for digital capture of a recording include identifying a person within a digital capture that is a recording of a person within an environment based on received information regarding the person. A disposition tag is associated with an identified person in the recording. The disposition tag references a privacy control action to take according to privacy constraints for the person. Coordinates in the recording where the privacy control action is to be applied are determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Robert G. Farrell, James R. Kozloski, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Publication number: 20170043782
    Abstract: A method for reducing cognitive demand on a vehicle operator comprises detecting one or more passengers in a vehicle in addition to the vehicle operator, determining an acceptable level of cognitive demand on the vehicle operator corresponding to an operating environment, determining an existing level of cognitive demand on the vehicle operator in the operating environment, determining whether the existing level of cognitive demand is greater than the acceptable level of cognitive demand, and wherein, if the existing level of cognitive demand is greater than the acceptable level of cognitive demand, generating a stimulus directed to the one or more passengers in order to reduce the existing level of cognitive demand on the vehicle operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Robert G. Farrell, Dimitri Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath
  • Patent number: 9571785
    Abstract: A system and method for fine-grained privacy control of image and video recordings uses a model-based approach to solve privacy issues. The method includes steps of: receiving a digital capture of a subject bound by privacy constraints; receiving information regarding the subject, the environment, and the privacy constraints; using the information to generate a model image of the subject within the environment; associating a disposition tag with an appearance of the subject in the model image; and comparing the model image with the digital capture to determine coordinates in the recording where a privacy control action, such as a blocking action, should be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert G Farrell, James R Kozloski, Clifford A Pickover
  • Publication number: 20170017640
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method manages drop-ins on conversations near a focal point of proximal activity in a gathering place. One or more processors receive a first set of sensor data from one or more sensors in a gathering place, and then identify a focal point of proximal activity based on the first set of received sensor data received from the one or more sensors. One or more processors characterize a conversation near the focal point based on a second set of received sensor data from the one or more sensors, and then present a characterization of the conversation to an electronic device. One or more processors enable the electronic device to allow a user to drop-in on the conversation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Rachel K. E. Bellamy, Jonathan H. Connell, II, Robert G. Farrell, Brian P. Gaucher, Jonathan Lenchner, David O. S. Melville, Valentina Salapura
  • Patent number: 9514495
    Abstract: A method and system for sharing data between a plurality of users in an online group on a communications system includes receiving data from a plurality of users. The data includes personal characteristics about the users. The personal characteristics are analyzed to determine groups of personal characteristics. The users are clustered into closely matched groups based on the groups of personal characteristics. A plurality of activity information is generated about the users in each of the closely matched groups. The activity information may include a physical activity, a location, and a time of day. User may be allowed access to the activity information about other users in each of the closely matched groups, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Erickson, Robert G. Farrell, Wendy A. Kellogg
  • Publication number: 20160291588
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a system for implementing a restricted-operation region. The system includes an instruction development module configured to be utilized in the development of a set of instructions that implement an operation policy of the restricted-operation region. The set of instructions is configured to, when interpreted, implement the operation policy by controlling at least one function of a vehicle that attempts to operate within the restricted-operation region. The system further includes a first transmitter configured to transmit the set of instructions to the vehicle, wherein a processor of the vehicle is configured to interpret the set of instructions based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Jonathan H. Connell, II, Jason B. Ellis, Robert G. Farrell, Danny Soroker
  • Publication number: 20160291589
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a system for implementing a restricted-operation region. The system includes an instruction development module configured to be utilized in the development of a set of instructions that implement an operation policy of the restricted-operation region. The set of instructions is configured to, when interpreted, implement the operation policy by controlling at least one function of a vehicle that attempts to operate within the restricted-operation region. The system further includes a first transmitter configured to transmit the set of instructions to the vehicle, wherein a processor of the vehicle is configured to interpret the set of instructions based at least in part on a determination that the vehicle is attempting to operate within the restricted-operation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Jonathan H. Connell, II, Jason B. Ellis, Robert G. Farrell, Danny Soroker
  • Publication number: 20160286522
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for user notification of normative device output settings of a plurality of mobile computing devices operating in locale. For example, a system includes a service provider, and a computing device. The computing device transmits its current locale and device output settings information to the service provider. The service provider utilizes such information to determine a normative of device output settings of registered computing devices operating in the locale, and generates a notification message that is sent to the computing device, which comprises the normative of device output settings in the locale. The computing device presents the notification message to a user of the computing device so that the user can determine whether or not a device output setting of the computing device complies with the normative of device output settings in the locale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventor: Robert G. Farrell
  • Publication number: 20160286386
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for user notification of normative device output settings of a plurality of mobile computing devices operating in locale. For example, a system includes a service provider, and a computing device. The computing device transmits its current locale and device output settings information to the service provider. The service provider utilizes such information to determine a normative of device output settings of registered computing devices operating in the locale, and generates a notification message that is sent to the computing device, which comprises the normative of device output settings in the locale. The computing device presents the notification message to a user of the computing device so that the user can determine whether or not a device output setting of the computing device complies with the normative of device output settings in the locale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventor: Robert G. Farrell
  • Publication number: 20160231874
    Abstract: A method for automatic detection of user preferences for alternate user interface model includes operating a digital device with an active user interface model and receiving one or more input signals from a user of the digital device. The method includes comparing the one or more input signals with one or more latent user interface models and determining if one of the latent user interface models has a higher likelihood given the one or more input signals than the active user interface models. The method also includes responsively substituting the latent user interface with the highest likelihood given the one or more input signals for the active user interface model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, David W. Buchanan, Robert G. Farrell, Aditya A. Kalyanpur
  • Publication number: 20160226803
    Abstract: A method and system are provided. The method includes acquiring a first image by a first user. The method further includes performing, using a processor, a comparative analysis of the first image and at least one other image acquired within a threshold time by at least one other user. The method also includes establishing a real-time communication interface between the first user and the at least one other user in response to the comparative analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Jason B. Ellis, Robert G. Farrell, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Publication number: 20160224862
    Abstract: A method and system are provided. The method includes acquiring a first image by a first user. The method further includes performing, using a processor, a comparative analysis of the first image and at least one other image acquired within a threshold time by at least one other user. The method also includes establishing a real-time communication interface between the first user and the at least one other user in response to the comparative analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Maryam Ashoori, Jason B. Ellis, Robert G. Farrell, Jonathan Lenchner, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Publication number: 20160171804
    Abstract: A device receives a first input for authenticating a user and determines the first input fails to authenticate the user. One or more errors are identified in the input which match a tremor pattern for the user and the one or more errors are corrected to generate a corrected input. The user is authenticated using the corrected input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Jarir K. Chaar, Robert G. Farrell, John C. Hartley, Dimitri Kanevsky, Sharon M. Trewin
  • Patent number: 9356889
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating e-mail subject lines are provided. A method for automatic generation of subject lines for electronic mail (email), comprises extracting topics from an email message, computing a sender relevance score for each topic, computing a receiver relevance score for each topic, ranking the topics based on the sender and receiver relevance scores, extracting syntactic units from the email message, ranking the extracted syntactic units from the email message based on the topic ranking, and assigning one or more subject lines to the email message based on the ranking of the syntactic units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sasha P. Caskey, Robert G. Farrell, Dimitri Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath
  • Patent number: 9348508
    Abstract: A method for automatic detection of user preferences for alternate user interface model includes operating a digital device with an active user interface model and receiving one or more input signals from a user of the digital device. The method includes comparing the one or more input signals with one or more latent user interface models and determining if one of the latent user interface models has a higher likelihood given the one or more input signals than the active user interface models. The method also includes responsively substituting the latent user interface with the highest likelihood given the one or more input signals for the active user interface model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, David W. Buchanan, Robert G. Farrell, Aditya A. Kalyanpur
  • Patent number: 9331965
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating e-mail subject lines are provided. A method for automatic generation of subject lines for electronic mail (email), comprises extracting topics from an email message, computing a sender relevance score for each topic, computing a receiver relevance score for each topic, ranking the topics based on the sender and receiver relevance scores, extracting syntactic units from the email message, ranking the extracted syntactic units from the email message based on the topic ranking, and assigning one or more subject lines to the email message based on the ranking of the syntactic units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sasha P. Caskey, Robert G. Farrell, Dimitri Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath
  • Patent number: 9313150
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating interruptions are provided. A method for generating interruptions, comprises generating a message for one or more recipients, detecting that a computing device is being used for a presentation, concluding, using a processor, that the one or more recipients are in an audience for the presentation, and after concluding that the one or more recipients are in the audience, interrupting the presentation with the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sasha P. Caskey, Robert G. Farrell, Dimitri Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath
  • Publication number: 20160085921
    Abstract: In an approach to configuring accessibility settings on an electronic device, a computer receives a first electronic data including at least one medical change made to an electronic medical record corresponding to a user. The computer determines at least one accessibility settings recommendation for an electronic device of the user. The computer receives a unique identifier of the user. The computer sends a second electronic data comprising the at least one accessibility settings recommendation to the electronic device of the user. The computer determines current accessibility settings of the electronic device. The computer calculates a difference between the current accessibility settings and the at least one accessibility settings recommendation. The computer determines whether the difference meets a target value. If the difference does not meet a target value, the computer configures the electronic device with the at least one accessibility settings recommendation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Robert G. Farrell, Sharon M. Trewin
  • Publication number: 20160080684
    Abstract: A viewer-selectable audio display region is associated with certain pixels of a video feed visible to the viewer of the video. Directional microphones provide audio signals for specific audio sources within a three-dimensional (3-D) video recording space. The recorded video signal is augmented with the audio signals and identified sound sources. The sound sources are mapped to pixels on the display. When the viewer selects the pixels, one or more audio recordings are: (i) played; (ii) amplified; (iii) mixed; and/or (iv) otherwise processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Robert G. Farrell, James R. Kozloski
  • Publication number: 20160070273
    Abstract: A system and methods for determining and delivering soil composition for preventing allergic diseases. An example method includes providing a computer network which communicates with health sensors and environmental sensors. The method, includes providing environmental sensors in a first geographic region to measure environmental conditions of the first geographic region. The method also includes providing health sensors for a sample human population in the first geographic region to measure health conditions of the sample human population. The method also includes computing a soil model that prevents allergic diseases based on the environmental conditions and the health conditions, and synthesizing artificial soil that replicates the computed soil model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Sasha P. Caskey, Robert G. Farrell, Dimitri Kanevsky, Jonathan Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath, Frances W. West